Pages

Sunday, June 02, 2013

You will go out in joyand be led forth in peace;the mountains and hills before youwill burst into song,and all the trees of the fieldwill clap their hands.Instead of the thornwill grow the cypress,and instead of briarswill come up the myrtle.This will be for the glory of the Lord,for an everlasting signwhich will not be destroyed.

12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

יג תַּחַת הַנַּעֲצוּץ יַעֲלֶה בְרוֹשׁ, תחת (וְתַחַת) הַסִּרְפַּד יַעֲלֶה הֲדַס; וְהָיָה לַיהוָה לְשֵׁם, לְאוֹת עוֹלָם לֹא יִכָּרֵת. {פ} 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the LORD for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. {P}

It's always so fascinating to me how translations can differ, how hard it is to actually translate poetry, how the meaning can change so subtly (and not so subtly) with a change in one or two word choices. And what a lovely vision: trees clapping their hands. Sort of like the sound of turtles being heard throughout the land. That one always got me before it was made clear that it was a mistranslation and the word should have been, "turtledoves." I like the sound of turtles better.

Calhouns Can(n)ons

About the Can(n)ons

Calhoun's Can(n)ons was originally published in 1990 in the (now defunct) Morro Bay, CA, Sun Bulletin, and since 1992 has continued in the various resurrections of the Los Osos, CA. Bay News, Bay Breeze, Bay News, Bay News-Tolosa Press. A few years ago, the Can(n)on was added to the Central Coast NewsMission blogsite. Ann Calhoun lives in Los Osos. You can email her at Churadogs at gmail dot com

To be persuasive, we must be believable. To be believable, we must be credible. To be credible, we must be truthful. Edward R. Murrow

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; the essential is invisible to the eye.Antoine de Saint-ExuperyThe Little Prince

No one is exempt from talking nonsense; the misfortune is to do it solemnly. Montaigne